I used to race as a junior back in the mid 80s. Not sure what the rules are today, but there was a gear limit restriction based on age. It was common to have an undersized front ring with a fairly large cog for the high gear. If I recall correctly, I rode a 50x15 as a high gear when I was in the age 15-16 category. (I still have my 15-21/23 Regina FW; I'd swap out lower cogs routinely based on the course.) That 50x15 with tubulars works out to ~87.9 gear inches. I notice the the Medici has a single 47 front ring. Pair that with a 14t small cog and 700c x 23 clinchers and you have ~88.2 gear inches. They would tape out the gear inch restrictions on the ground. "Roll out" your bike backward starting with the crank at 6 o-clock until you get to the 2nd line of tape. More than a full rotation and you pass inspection, less than a full rotation and you don't. Since you say it was your friend's son, my hunch says it was a custom build with junior racing gear restrictions in mind.